Process of fabric treatment with natural oil essence microcapsule

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a process of fabric treatment with natural oil essence microcapsule, which is an integrative process including low temperature plasma fabric treatment technique, natural oil microcapsulation technique and fabric coating technique with natural oil microcapsules for facilitating oil essence microcapsulation and fabricating the fabrics thereof with high efficacy.

REFERENCE CITED

-   1. U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,517-   2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,821-   3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,330-   4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,244

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a process of fabric treatment with natural oilessence microcapsules, which is an integrative process Including lowtemperature plasma fabric treatment technique, natural oilmicrocapsulation technique and fabric coating technique with natural oilmicrocapsules to provide highly valued synthetic fabrics with enhancedprocess efficiency and practical efficacy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, most conventional fabrics products, such as socks, belts,hats, underwear, stickers and so on, have not been coated with thematerials possessing properties of therapy, health and protection. It isa pity that fabrics can not be generally expanded the efficacy orpromoted with such additional value in this high technology era. Thoughsome relevant manufactures had attempted to coat or disposemicrocapsules on said fabrics, the conventional application ofmicrocapsules on the fabrics can't withstand high temperature, pressureand the acid/alkaline additives in the process which usually leads tobroken microcapsules. Meanwhile, the current fabric coating process withbinders causes coarse feeling with poor wash-fastness and less adhesionamount of microcapsules onto the fabrics as the result of non existenceof functional groups on the synthetic fiber surface. For solvingaforementioned problems, the inventor of present invention had beendevoted to develop the present invention which has much more utilitarianin the industrial application of natural oil essence microcapsule.

The present invention is an integrative processing procedure of fabrictreatment technique with low temperature plasma, natural oil essencemicrocapsulation technique and fabric coating technique to improve theadhesion property of microcapsules with fabrics. Firstly, the smoothsurface of fabrics is roughened or modified with low temperature plasma,wherein it is not only to increase the adhesion area but also tostrengthen the binding ability between the adhesive agent and saidfabrics. Further, the technique of natural oil essence microcapsules isapplied to identify the diameters of said oil essence microcapsulesbetween 5 and 15 μm, which is less than the radius of single fiber to berationally distributed more on said plasma-treated fabrics, moreresistant to the pressure/compression in coating process and moredurable in washing. Finally, the prepared oil essence microcapsules arecoated on the fabric that had been treated with said plasma. When peoplewear the clothes with said natural-oil-essence-microcapsules-coatedfabrics, the component of natural oil essence will be discharged fromthe microcapsule by the friction of body skin with the fabric thereof.Therefore, the utilitarian and efficacy of said natural oil essence arepromoted with higher value added on the fabric applied.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a board object of the present invention focusing on thefragrant and healthful oil essence in the process of microcapsulation bymeans of gradual releasing and discharging of said natural oil essencefrom the microcapsule which has good adhesion with said treated fabric.With its contribution, the fabric is valued with the of therapy, healthand protection.

It is further object of the present invention that the natural oilessence microcapsules possess good resistance to high temperature,pressure alkaline and acid in the fabric coating process, also thefinished fabric has satisfying softness and waterfastness.

It is foregoing objects in the present invention that themicrocapsulation technique provides external protection layer aroundsaid oil essence droplets with the contribution to releasing andcontrolling effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention as well as otherobjects and features herein disclosed, reference is made to followingdetailed disclosure of this invention taken in conjunction with drawingsherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the fabric treatment procedure of low temperatureplasma technique.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of natural oil essence microcapsulation techniqueprocedure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of the fabric coating technique procedure withnatural oil essence capsules.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the other model of fabric treatment procedure oflow temperature plasma technique.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the other model of natural oil essencemicrocapsulation technique procedure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the other model of fabric coating techniqueprocedure with natural oil essence microcapsules.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention serves the process of fabric treatment withnatural oil essence microcapsule, which provides an integrativeprocessing procedure of low temperature plasma fabric treatmenttechnique, natural oil essence microcapsulation technique and therewithfabric coating technique.

Please refer with FIG. 1, where said low temperature plasma fabrictreatment technique (a method of modifying the surfaces of said fabric)which is applicable for the fabrics, such as Nylon, PET, and PP.Firstly, inventing argon gas into an low pressure reactor under a powerbetween 1.0 and 1.4 kw, a pressure between 200 and 400 mtorr, aprocessing temperature between 5° C. end 15° C., and a processing timebetween and 5 and 16 minutes. The said fabric is delivered to passthrough the reactor for roughening the surface, wherein said treatmenthas no effect on the fabric tension and elongation.

Please refer with FIG. 2, shown as a processing procedure of oil essencemicrocapsulation. Firstly, adding an emulsion agent of (C_(n) H_(m)O₄)_(x) in a ratio between 3% w.t. and 15% w.t. and natural oil essencein a ratio between a 20% w.t. and 80% w.t. into a container, whereinsaid chemical formula (C_(n) H_(m) O₄)_(x) n=3 to 9, m=4 to 10, forcomplete oil essence saponification, under temperature between 60° C.and 75° C. and agitating speed at a range between 5,000 and 8.000 rpm.Secondary, gradually dropping the shell polymer [C₃N₃ (N H C_(n) H_(m)O_(a))₂]_(x) in a ratio between 10% w.t. and 100% w.t., wherein n is 1to 9, m is 3 to 1 and a is 1 to 9, and then adjusting a speed between6,000 and 9,000 rpm and an agitating time between 3 and 5 minutes.Thirdly, slowing down said speed between 300 and 1,000 rpm and followingagitating time between 2 and 4 hours. Fourthly, modulate the value of pHbetween 2 and 5 by 6% w.t. citric acid. Fifthly, adding a volume between100 to 300 ml of distilled water and modulating said temperature between75° C. and 95° C. Finally, percolating said oil essence microcapsule twotimes from said water and shade drying said oil essence, hence the oilessence microcapsules are produced.

Please refer with FIG. 3, shown as a fabric coating procedure withnatural oil essence microcapsules. Firstly, setting a ratio ofco-polymer typed binding agent to oil essence microcapsules between 3:1and 1:3 to form a treatment solution in a container, wherein saidbinding agent is identified as acrylic ester copolymer with solidcomponent between 40 and 46%, pH value between 4 and 6, and viscositybeen 20 and 200 cps, which is nonionic emulsification system, thenmodulating said solution's pH value between 3 and 5 with buffer solutionof pH value 10. If the pH value were lower than 3 that said natural oilessence microcapsules would tend to aggregate, while the natural oilessence microcapsules couldn't react easily with the binding agent it pHvalue were higher than 5. Secondly, delivering and immersing said plasmatreated fabrics to and under said solution at the bath ratio between 10and 20 o.w.f (on weigh of fabric), and then heating said solution up tobetween 45° C. and 70° C. and agitating said solution for 10 to 30minutes for complete binding reaction. Thirdly, riling and pressing saidimmersed fabrics under a pressure between 2 and 4 kg/cm². Finally,baking said fabrics in an oven at temperature set between 100° C. and200° C. for 3 minutes. Hence a product of fabrics coated with naturaloil essence microcapsules is obtained. According to aforementioned oilessence microcapsules have diameters been 5 and 10 μm, the adhesion rateof natural oil essence microcapsules onto the said fabric surfacereaches between 90% and 100%, and the washing durability of the coatedfabric reaches over 40 times.

Please refer with Figs. form 4 to 6, shown as one of other models offabric treatment technique with natural oil essence microcapsule, i.e.,an integrative process of low temperature plasma fabric treatmenttechnique, natural oil essence microcapsulation technique and therewithfabric coating technique. The said low temperature plasma fabrictreatment technique is also recognized as the methods of surfacemodification and surface inducing-grafting, which sultes to thesynthetic fabrics, such as Nylon, PET, PP and so on. Generally, thematerial of the fabric surface is required to possess an reacting groupto render its grafting with function group of the monomer applied togrant an evenly modified surface. As the process shown in FIG. 4, thelower pressured reactor is filled with non-polymerizable argon gas undera power between 1.0 and 1.4 kw, pressure between 200 and 400 mtorr,temperature between 15° C. and 25° C. and the process time between 5 and15 minutes. Then the said fabrics are delivered to pass through saidreactor for discharging the atoms of the said fabric surface to formoxygen-containing polar groups or oxides, which constitutes to abridging stage. The following inducing-grating co-polymerization isprocessed with hydrophilic monomers (AAC) and HEMA to form a mass amountof radicals under a power between 1.0 and 1.8 kw, pressure between 100and 400 mtorr, temperature between 20° C. and 30° C., processing timingbetween 5 and 30 minutes, and said monomer concentration between 10% and30%. After the synthetic fabric is delivered to pass through the saidreactor, the low temperature plasma fabric treatment is completed.

Please refer with FIG. 5, shown as another model of the processprocedure of natural oil essence microcapsulation. First, addingemulsion agent of (C_(n) H_(m) O₄)_(x), wherein n=3 to 9 and m=4 to 10in a ratio between 3% and 15% w.t. and natural oil essence in a ratiobetween 20% (w.t.) and 80% (w.t.) into a container for processing thenatural oil essence saponification. The said natural oil essencesaponification is processed under a temperature between 60° C. and 75°C. and agitating speed at a range between 5,000 and 9,000 rpm. After thesaid oil essence is completely emulsified, the shell polymer of [C₃N₃(NH C_(n) H_(m) O_(a))₂]_(x), wherein n=1 to 9, m=3 to 19, a=1 to 9, isthen gradually dropped into said container at a ratio between 10% and100%. The agitating speed is adjusted between 6,000 and 15,000 rpm for 3to 5 minutes, then slowed between 300 and 600 rpm for 2 and 4 hours. Thefollowing pH value is modulated between 2 and 5 with 6% w.t. citricacid, and then a volume between 100 and 300 ml of distilled water isadded with temperature set between 75° C. and 95° C. Finally, the formedoil essence microcapsule is percolated two times with fresh water andthen shade drying. Hence, the natural oil essence microcapsules areproduced.

Please refer with FIG. 6, shown as the other model of the process offabric coating technique with natural oil essence microcapsules. Atbeginning, adding co-polymer typed binding agent and oil essencemicrocapsules with the ratio between 0.5:1 and 1:7 into a container toform a treatment solution, wherein said co-polymer typed binding agentis identified as acrylic ester copolymer with pH value in the rangebetween 4 and 6, solid component between 40% and 46%, viscosity between20 and 200 cps, and forming nonionic emulsification system. Then, the pHvalue is adjusted between 3 and 5 with a buffer solution of pH value 10.If the pH value was lower than 3 the natural oil essence microcapsuleswould tend to aggregate, while the natural oil essence microcapsulescouldn't react properly with the binding agent if pH value were higherthan 5. Secondly, delivering and immersing said plasma treated fabricsto and under said solution at the bath ratio between 10 and 20 o.w.f (onweigh of fabric), then heating said solution at the temperature between45° C. and 70° C. and agitating said solution for 10 to 30 minutes forcomplete binding reaction. Thirdly, rolling and pressing said immersedfabrics under a pressure between 2 and 4 kg/cm². Finally, baking saidfabrics in an oven at temperature set between 100° C. and 200° C. for 3minutes. Hence a product of fabrics coated with natural oil essencemicrocapsules is obtained. According to aforementioned oil essencemicrocapsules have diameters between 3 and 10 μm, the adhesion rate ofnatural oil essence microcapsules onto the said fabric surface reachesbetween 90% and 100%, and the washing durability of the coated fabricreaches over 40 times.

To sum up, the present invention of the process of fabric treatment withnatural oil essence microcapsule has features as follows:

-   1. The oil essence microcapsules have micro and uniform diameter to    increase their adhesion area, adhesion rate and distribution    uniformity on the said fabric, also enhance their resistance to    rolling pressure in the fabric coating process and durability to    washing.-   2. The fabrics are fabricated by the present invention which has    good durability to the temperature between 150° C. and 250° C. and    the pressure of 4 kg/cm², also contains unbroken microcapsules with    the characterstics of hand softness and washing durability.-   3. The natural oil essence microcapsulation technique in the present    invention can form a protection layer around the said oil droplets    that consistently maintain the effect of oil essence to render the    characteristics of controlling and releasing.-   4. The low temperature plasma fabric treatment technique in the    present invention increases not merely the adhesion area of    microcapsules on the fabric but also strengthens the adhesion    between the binding agent and the fabrics for saving the quantity of    binding agent in the application, and promoting fabric washing    durability.-   5. The coated fabric with natural oil essence microcapsules in    present invention increases the oil essences' utilitarian and    promotes the fabrics' additional value.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with particularembodiments, it is evident that alternatives, modifications andvariations will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all suchalternatives, modifications and variations and fall within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

1. A process of fabric treatment with natural oil essence microcapsule,the improvement comprising: a process technique of low temperatureplasma fabric treatment, wherein roughens or modifies the smooth surfaceof the fabrics to strengthen the adhesion between the binding agent andsaid fabrics, also to save the quantities of binding agent applied andto enhance water-washing durability; a process technique of oil essencemicrocapsulation, wherein forming a protection layer around the dropletsof oil essence for consistently maintaining the utilitarian of oilessence and contributing to the feature of controlling and releasing,also wherein being applied effectively in the fabrics for improving theadhesion of said oil essence microcapsules on said fabrics; and a fabriccoating technique with oil essence microcapsule, wherein using bindingagent to render good adhesion of oil essence microcapsule on the plasmatreated fabric for making oil essence microcapsule distribute evenly andbind effectively in said fabrics.
 2. A process of oil essencemicrocapsule fabric treatment, wherein the improvement comprising: a.processing a low temperature plasma fabric treatment, wherein inventingthe argon gas into a low pressure reactor under a power between 1.0 and1.4 kw, a pressure between 200 and 400 mtorr, processing temperaturebetween 15° C. and 25° C. and processing time between 5 and 15 minutes,herein having said fabrics to pass through for surface modification ofsaid fabrics; b. processing oil essence microcapsulation, wherein addingemulsion agent of (C_(n) H_(m) O₄)_(x) in a ratio between 3% and 15%w.t. and oil essence in a ratio between 20% and 80% w.t. into thecontainer for processing an oil essence saponification under thetemperature between 60° C. and 75° C. and the agitating speed at a rangebetween 5,000 8,000 rpm, when said oil essence is completely emulsified,the shell polymer of [(C₃ N₃ C_(n) H_(m) O_(a))_(x)] is graduallydropped in a ratio between 10% and 100%, then said speed is adjustedbetween 6,000 and 9,000 rpm for 3 to 5 minutes, and the said speed isslowed down between 300 and 1,000 rpm for 2 to 4 hours, after modulatingthe pH value between 2 and 5 with 6% w.t. citric acid, the distilledwater is added in a volume between 100 to 300 ml and the temperature ismodulated between 75° C. and 95° C., finally, formed oil essencemicrocapsule is percolated two times and shade drying, hence the oilessence microcapsules are produced; and c. processing a fabric treatmentby coating with oil essence microcapsule, wherein firstly addingco-polymer typed binding agent and oil essence microcapsules in a ratiobetween 3:1 and 1:3 to form a treatment solution, and modulating saidsolution at a pH value between 3 and 5 with a buffer solution of pHvalue 10, after delivering and immersing said the plasma treated fabricsto and under said solution under a bathing ratio between 10 and 20o.w.f., then heating said solution at the temperature between 45° C. and70° C., and agitating said solution for 10 to 30 minutes for a completebinding reaction, and then rolling and pressing said processed fabricsunder a pressure between 2 and 4 kg/cm², after said fabrics are backedin an oven at the temperature between 100° C. and 200° C., a product ofnatural oil essence microcapsule fabrics is completed as a result.
 3. Aprocess of fabric treatment with oil essence microcapsule, theimprovement comprising: a. processing a low temperature plasma fabrictreatment, wherein passing the fabrics through an reactor, which isfilled with non-polymerizable argon gas into said reactor under a powerbetween 1.0 and 1.4 kw, pressure between 200 and 400 mtorr, processingtemperature between 15° C. and 25° C. and processing time between 5 and15 minutes, then delivering said fabrics to the other reactor for plasmainducing-grafting treatment, wherein conducting two 10% and 30% w.t.hydrophilic monomer, Acrylic (AAC) and 2-hydroxymethyl methacrylic acid(HEMA), into said container to form a mass amount of free radicals undera power between 1.0 and 1.8 kw, pressure between 100 and 400 mtorr,processing temperature between 20° C. and 30° C., and processing timebetween 5 and 30 minutes; b. processing oil essence microcapsulation,wherein adding an emulsion agent of (C_(n) H_(m) O₄)_(x) in a ratiobetween 3% and 15% w.t. and oil essence in a ratio between 20% and 80%w.t. into said container for processing an oil essence saponificationunder a temperature between 60° C. and 75° C. and an agitating speed ata range between 5,000 9,000 rpm, after said oil essences is completelyemulsified, gradually dropping the shell polymer of [C₃ N₃ (N H C_(n)H_(m) O_(a))₂]_(x) in a ratio between 10% and 100%, then adjusting saidspeed between 6,000 and 15,000 rpm for 3 and 5 minutes, and slowing downsaid speed between 300 and 600 rpm for 2 to 4 hour, after modulating thepH value between 2 and 5 with 6% w.t. citric acid, adding a volumebetween 100 to 300 ml of distilled water and modulating said temperaturebetween 75° C. and 95° C., finally, said oil essence microcapsules arepercolated two times by the water and then shade dried, hence the oilessence microcapsules are produced; and c. processing fabric coatingtreatment with said oil essence microcapsules, wherein adding a ratiobetween 0.5 and 1 of co-polymer typed binding agent to a ratio between 1and 7 of oil essence oil essence microcapsules into a container to forma treatment solution, and modulating said solution at a pH value between3 and 5 with buffer solution of pH value 10, after putting the plasmatreated fabrics into said solution under a bath ratio between 10% w.t.and 20% w.t., heating said solution temperature between 45° C. and 70°C. with agitating for 10 to 30 minutes for a complete binding reaction,and then rolling said processed fabrics under a pressure between 2 and 4kg/cm², after baking said fabrics in an oven at the temperature between100° C. and 200° C., a product of natural oil essence microcapsulecoated fabrics is obtained.
 4. A process of fabric treatment withnatural oil essence microcapsule of claim 2, wherein said treatmenttechnique suing to said oil essence has the effects of therapy,health-maintain and protection.
 5. A process of fabric treatment withnatural oil essence microcapsule of claim 3, wherein said treatmenttechnique suiting to said oil essence which has the effects of therapy,health-maintain and protection.
 6. A process of fabric treatment withnatural oil essence microcapsule of claim 3, wherein the chemicalformulas, of said emulsion agent (C_(n) H_(m) O₄)_(x)-n=3 to 9, m=4 to10-, and of said shell polymer molecule [C₃ N₃ (N H C_(n) H_(m)O_(a))₂]_(x)-n=1 to 9, m=3 to 19, and a=1 to
 9. 7. A process of fabrictreatment with natural oil essence microcapsule of claim 2, wherein thechemical formulas as, of said emulsion agent (C_(n) H_(m) O₄)_(x)-n=3 to9, m=9, m=4 to 10, and of said shell polymer molecule [C₃ N₃ (N H C_(n)H_(m) O_(a))₂]_(x)-n=1 to 9, m=3 to 19, and a=1 to
 9. 8. A process offabric treatment with natural oil essence microcapsule of claim 2,wherein the most preferred weight ratio of polymer is between 20% and50%, and said speed is set between 7,000 and 9,000 rpm.
 9. A process offabric treatment with natural oil essence microcapsule of claim 3,wherein the most preferred weight ratio of polymer is between 20% and50%, and said speed is set between 7,000 and 9,000 rpm.
 10. A process offabric treatment with natural oil essence microcapsule of claim 3,wherein the most preferred power rate of said inducing-grafting monomeris between 1.2 kw and 1.6 Kw, said pressure is often 300 and 350 mtorr,said processing time is between 10 and 20 minutes, the concentration ofsaid Acrylic monomer (AAC) is between 15% and 18%, and the concentrationof 2-hydroxymethyl methacrylic acid (HEMA) is between 15% and 20%.
 11. Aprocess of fabric treatment with natural oil essence microcapsule ofclaim 3, wherein the most preferred agitating speed rate of saidemulsifying is between 7,000 and 8,000 rpm, the best weight ratio ofsaid shell polymer molecule is between 25% and 70% with preferredagitating speed between 8,000 and 10,000 rpm.
 12. A process of fabrictreatment with natural off essence microcapsule of claim 3, wherein saidco-polymer typed binding agent is identified as acrylic ester copolymerwith solid component between 40% and 46%, pH value between 4 and 6, andviscosity between 20 and 200 cps, and performing as nonionicemulsification system.
 13. A process of fabric treatment with naturaloil essence microcapsule of claim 2, wherein solid co-polymer typedbinding agent is identified as acrylic ester copolymer with solidcomponent between 40% and 46%, pH value between 4 and 6, and viscositybetween 20 and 200 cps, and performing as nonionic emulsificationsystem.
 14. A process of fabric treatment with natural oil essencemicrocapsule of claim 3, wherein the diameters of said oil essencemicrocapsules are between 3 and 10 μm, the adhesion rate of said oilessence microcapsules on the fabric is between 90% and 100%, and thewaterfastness of said coated fabric is being washed durably for 40 to 80times.
 15. A process of fabric treatment with natural oil essencemicrocapsule of claim 2, wherein the diameters of said oil essencemicrocapsules are between 3 and 15 μm, the adhesion rate of said oilessence microcapsules on the fabric is between 90% and 100%, and thewaterfastness of said coated fabric is being washed durably for 40 to 80times.
 16. A process of fabric treatment with natural oil essencemicrocapsule of claim 3, wherein the temperature durability of said oilessence microcapsules in the fabric coating process is between 150° C.and 250° C., the pressure resistance reaches to 4 kg/cm², theacid-and-alkaline resistance is scaled at pH value between 3 and 9without un-breakability and toughness in the fabric application.
 17. Aprocess of fabric treatment with natural oil essence microcapsule ofclaim 2, wherein the temperature durability of said oil essencemicrocapsules in the fabric coating process is between 150° C. and 250°C., the pressure resistance reaches to 4 kg/cm², the acid-and-alkalineresistance is scaled at pH value between 3 and 9 without un-breakabilityand toughness in the fabric application.